Thermoplastic Films with Enhanced Resistance to Puncture and Tear

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic film having improved tear and puncture resistance. The thermoplastic has a plurality of embossed regions that are comprised of a plurality of parallel, linear embosses. The plurality of embossed regions is arranged so that a straight line cannot traverse the thermoplastic film without intersecting at least one of the plurality of embossed regions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/061,820, filed Oct. 24, 2013, and is hereby incorporated by referenceinto this disclosure in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements for thermoplastic films,particularly thermoplastic films used in the manufacture of bagsincluding trash bags. In particular, the present invention relates toimprovements to trash bags and embossed patterns for such bags.

2. Description of the Related Art

Thermoplastic films are used in a variety of applications. For example,thermoplastic films are used in sheet form for applications such as dropcloths, vapor barriers, and protective covers. Thermoplastic films canalso be converted into plastic bags, which may be used in a myriad ofapplications. The present invention is particularly useful to trash bagsconstructed from thermoplastic film, but the concept and ideas describedherein may be applied to other types of thermoplastic films and bags aswell.

Depending on the application, the use of thermoplastic film presentstechnical challenges due to the fact that thermoplastic film isinherently soft and flexible. Specifically, all thermoplastic films aresusceptible to puncture and tear propagation. In some instances, it maybe possible to increase the thickness of the film or select betterpolymers to enhance the physical properties of the film. However, thesemeasures increase both the weight and cost of the thermoplastic film andmay not be practicable. In light of the technical challenges ofthermoplastic film, techniques and solutions have been developed toaddress the need for improved shock absorption to reduce the likelihoodof puncture. For example, it is known to impart stretched areas intothermoplastic films as a means of inducing shock absorption propertiesinto the film.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,650, issued to Rasmussen and entitled Tubular Bagwith Shock Absorber Band Tube for Making Such Bag, and Method for itsProduction, discloses using thermoplastic film material with stretchablezones wherein the film material has been stretched in a particulardirection with adjacent unstretched zones that extend in substantiallythe same direction. The combination of the stretched zones and adjacentunstretched zones provides a shock absorber band intended to absorbenergy when the bag is dropped. Specifically, when a bag is dropped ormoved, the contents inside the bag exert additional forces that wouldotherwise puncture or penetrate the thermoplastic film. However, theshock absorber bands absorb some of the energy and may prevent punctureof the film.

Another example of a thermoplastic film material designed to resistpuncture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,801, issued to Chappell andentitled Web Materials Exhibiting Elastic-Like Behavior. Chappell, inthe aforementioned patent and other related patents, discloses using aplurality of ribs to provide stretchable areas in the film much likeRasmussen. Chappell also discloses methods of manufacturing suchthermoplastic film with such ribs.

Another example of shock absorption to prevent puncture is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,650,214 issued to Anderson and entitled Web MaterialsExhibiting Elastic-Like Behavior and Soft Cloth-Like Texture. Andersondiscloses using a plurality of embossed ribs defining diamond-shapedareas with a network of unembossed material between the diamond-shapedareas. Thus, the unembossed area comprises a network of straight, linearunembossed material extending in two perpendicular directions.

The foregoing specifically address the desire to increase the shockabsorption of the thermoplastic film to reduce the likelihood ofpunctures occurring in the film. However, none of the foregoingsolutions address the problem of reducing tear propagation in athermoplastic bag.

Previously known solutions to limiting tear propagation are based on twoprimary concepts. First, longer and more tortuous tear paths consumemore energy as the tear propagates and can help in limiting the impactof the tear in a bag or thermoplastic film. Second, many thermoplasticfilms, particularly thermoplastic films made using a blown-filmextrusion process, have different physical properties along differentaxes of the film. Consequently, certain prior art solutions takeadvantage of the differential properties of thermoplastic films byredirecting tears into a different direction which offers greaterresistance to the propagating tear. For example, some solutions redirecta tear propagating in the weaker machine direction of blown film intothe stronger cross-direction.

One solution for reducing tear propagation s based on the idea thatlonger, tortuous tear paths are preferable and is described in U.S. Pat.No. 6,824,856, issued to Jones and entitled Protective Packaging Sheet.Jones discloses materials suitable for packaging heavy loads byproviding an embossed packaging sheet with improved mechanicalproperties. Specifically, a protective packaging sheet is disclosedwhere surfaces of the sheet material are provided with protuberancesdisposed therein with gaps between protuberances. The protuberances arearranged such that straight lines necessarily intersect one or more ofthe protuberances. The resulting protective packaging sheet providesmechanical properties where tears propagating across the thermoplasticsheet are subject to a tortuous path. The tortuous path is longer, andmore complex, than a straight-line tear, and a tear propagating alongsuch a path would require markedly more energy for continued propagationacross the film compared to a tear along a similar non-tortuous path inthe same direction. Thus, due to the increased energy required for tearpropagation, the tortuous path ultimately reduces the impact of anytears that do propagate across the film.

Another example of a tear resistant plastic film is disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 8,357,440, issued to Hall and entitled Apparatus and Method forEnhanced Tear Resistance Plastic Sheets. Hall discloses an alternativetortuous path solution and further relies on the fact that certainpolymer films, particularly thermoplastic films made in a blown-filmextrusion process, are known to have a stronger resistance to tear inthe cross direction (also known as the transverse direction) whencompared to the machine direction (i.e. the direction in which the filmis extruded). The cross direction (or transverse direction) isperpendicular to the machine direction and extends around thecircumference of a blown-film tube or across the width of a flattenedfilm.

Hall discloses a solution that contemplates using preferably shapedembosses, particularly convex shaped embosses with a curved outerboundary, to provide maximum resistance to tear propagation. In mostthermoplastic films, a tear will have a tendency to propagate along thepath of least resistance or in the machine direction. Hall contemplatesredirecting propagating tears in a tortuous path with the additionalintent of redirecting the machine direction tears along the curved edgesof the embossed regions and into a cross direction orientation. Theredirected tears in the cross direction will be subject to additionalresistance and, preferably, will propagate to a lesser degree than atear propagating in the machine direction in an unembossed film.

Unlike the references described earlier, Jones and Hall are primarilyfocused on resistance to tear propagation after a puncture has occurredrather than attempting to prevent the puncture from occurring in thefirst place. It would be desirable to balance both of these properties,shock absorption and tortuous tear paths in the cross direction, into asingle, practicable thermoplastic film. Specifically, it would bedesirable to provide a thermoplastic film with a shock absorbing featureto prevent punctures in a film while also providing increased resistanceto tear propagation. The present invention addresses these needs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED DRAWINGS

A full and complete understanding of the present invention may beobtained by reference to the detailed description of the presentinvention and certain embodiments when viewed with reference to theaccompanying drawings. The drawings can be briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 provides an elevation view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 provides an elevation view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 provides an elevation view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 provides an elevation view of a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 provides an elevation view of a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure illustrates several embodiments of the presentinvention. It is not intended to provide an illustration or encompassall embodiments contemplated by the present invention. In view of thedisclosure of the present invention contained herein, a person havingordinary skill in the art will recognize that innumerable modificationsand insubstantial changes may be incorporated or otherwise includedwithin the present invention without diverging from the spirit of theinvention. Therefore, it is understood that the present invention is notlimited to those embodiments disclosed herein. The appended claims areintended to more fully and accurately encompass the invention to thefullest extent possible, but it is fully appreciated that certainlimitations on the use of particular terms are not intended toconclusively limit the scope of protection.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a first embodimentof the present invention is shown. In particular, a thermoplastic film100 is embossed with a plurality of embossed regions 110, where each ofthe plurality of embossed regions 110 is separated by a continuous,unembossed arrangement 120. Each of the embossed regions 110 comprises aplurality of parallel, linear embosses 130. The parallel, linearembosses 130 are all arranged in a parallel fashion to facilitateexpansion of the film in a particular direction. Furthermore, theparallel, linear embosses 130 extend substantially across the entireembossed region 110.

In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the embossedregions 110 are provided with rounded corners, rather than sharpcorners. As discussed with respect to the prior art, it is known thattears have a tendency to propagate along the edges of the embossedregions. Embossed regions with continuously curved borders, i.e. withoutsharp corners, encourage propagating tears to follow the edge of theembossed region. In contrast, when an embossed region is provided withsharp corners, the tear is more likely to diverge from the edge of theembossed region and will no longer be guided by the embossed region.Typically, such tears will continue propagating in the same directionwhich may provide less resistance along a less tortuous path.

The present invention builds on the concepts of tortuous path andredirecting tears in a direction that provides more resistance tocontinued propagation of the tear by preferably utilizing roundedcorners on the embossed regions. Specifically, looking at the embodimentof FIG. 1, the embossed regions 110 have generally rounded cornersrather than sharp corners to facilitate redirection of tears propagatingalong the perimeter of said embossed region and into a more tortuouspath that may offer increased tear resistance.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, the thermoplastic film has a plurality of embossed regions210 that are generally hexagonal in shape with rounded corners tofacilitate tear redirection. Like the previous embodiments, the embossedregions 210 have a plurality of parallel, linear embosses 230. Moreover,due to the hexagonal geometry, the continuous, unembossed arrangement220 does not provide any location where a continuous, straight line canbe drawn across the arrangement 220. This is important because a tearpropagating in the unembossed arrangement 220 cannot follow a continuouspath in the machine direction, where the film is inherently weaker.Instead, assuming the tear follows the edges of the embossed regions210, the tear will follow a longer path that will be, at leastpartially, in the cross direction.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this thirdembodiment, the thermoplastic film has a variety of circular embossedregions 310 arranged along a series of parallel sinusoidal paths in thethermoplastic film separated by a continuous, unembossed arrangement320. This continuous, unembossed arrangement 320 offers uniqueadvantages in that a continuous straight-line path is generally notpossible assuming the size of the embossed regions 310 are properlysized, the amplitude of the sinusoidal path is sufficiently large, andthere is sufficient frequency of the embossed regions 310 along thesinusoidal path. Thus, as a tear propagates across the film, it willnecessarily intersect with one of the embossed regions 310. Such tearswill have a tendency to propagate around the edges of the embossedregions 310 and into varying directions.

In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 3, the embossed regions 310 arepreferably arranged along a series of parallel, sinusoidal linesextending in a first direction. The peak amplitude, measured from thecenter of the sinusoidal wave to the peak of the sinusoidal wave istypically at least ½ of the diameter of the embossed regions 310. Insome embodiments of the present invention, the embossed regions 310 arealso arranged along a sinusoidal path extending in a second direction.The second direction may by perpendicular to the first direction of thesinusoidal path.

In a preferred embodiment, the embossed regions 310 will all besubstantially the same size. However, in other embodiments, the size ofthe embossed regions 310 may vary. For example, depending on the spacingbetween nearby embossed regions 310, the size, or even the shapes, ofthe embossed regions may be modified to provide that the spacing betweenthe embossed regions is more uniform.

FIG. 4 discloses a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In thisdepicted embodiment, the thermoplastic film has a plurality of circularembossed regions 410 much like the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3.However, in this embodiment, some of the circular embosses are connectedto form connecting embossed regions 412 to block some, or even all, ofthe sinusoidal paths between the circular embosses.

Looking back at FIG. 3, it is apparent that, depending on the size ofthe embossed regions 412 and the amplitude of the sinusoidal path ofembossed regions 412, a tear may propagate along a sinusoidal pathbetween the sinusoidal paths of the embossed regions 412. Properlyselecting the amplitude of the sinusoidal waves, adjusting the locationof the embossed regions 412 along the sinusoidal path, and modifying thesizes of the various embossed regions may be used, individually or incombination with one another, to prevent tears from propagating alongthe sinusoidal paths by forcing tears to continually encounter embossedregions 412 and propagate around the perimeter of said embossed regions412

Looking now at FIG. 5, a fifth embodiment of the present invention isdepicted wherein the embossed regions are random shapes withsubstantially curved edges. More importantly, it is desirable that acontinuous, linear path cannot be drawn across the unembossedarrangement to prevent the propagation of tears across the thermoplasticfilm.

As previously noted, the specific embodiments depicted herein are notintended to limit the scope of the present invention. Indeed, it iscontemplated that any number of different embodiments may be utilizedwithout diverging from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, theappended claims are intended to more fully encompass the full scope ofthe present invention.

What is claimed is: 1-18. (canceled)
 19. A thermoplastic filmcomprising: a plurality of embossed regions embossed into thethermoplastic film, the plurality of embossed regions separated by acontinuous, unembossed arrangement, each of the plurality of embossedregions comprising a set of linear embosses and a boundary of each ofthe plurality of the embossed regions defined by the continuous,unembossed arrangement, and the plurality of the embossed regionsarranged such that a continuous, straight line within the unembossedarrangement and parallel to an adjacent boundary of an embossed regionof the plurality of embossed regions intersects another embossed regionof the plurality of embossed regions.
 20. The thermoplastic film ofclaim 19, further comprising: each emboss of the set of linear embossesparallel to each other for each set.
 21. The thermoplastic film of claim19, further comprising: a majority of the plurality of embossed regionsare irregularly shaped.
 22. The thermoplastic film of claim 19, furthercomprising: a majority of the plurality of embossed regions arehexagon-shaped.
 23. The thermoplastic film of claim 19, furthercomprising: a majority of the plurality of embossed regions arerectangular.
 24. A thermoplastic bag comprising: a first panel and asecond panel, the first panel and the second panel joined along a firstside edge, a second side edge, and a bottom edge, a top edge of thefirst panel and second panel defining an upper opening of the bag, aplurality of embossed regions embossed into the first panel and thesecond panel, the plurality of embossed regions separated by acontinuous, unembossed arrangement, each of the plurality of embossedregions comprising a plurality of linear embosses, a boundary of eachembossed region defined by the boundary of the continuous, unembossedarrangement, and the plurality of embossed regions arranged such that acontinuous, straight line cannot be drawn across the unembossedarrangement without intersecting at least one of the plurality ofembossed regions.
 25. The thermoplastic bag of claim 24, furthercomprising: for each set of linear embosses, the linear embosses are allparallel to the other linear embosses.
 26. The thermoplastic bag ofclaim 24, further comprising: a majority of the plurality of embossedregions are irregularly shaped.
 27. The thermoplastic bag of claim 24,further comprising: a majority of the plurality of embossed regions arehexagon-shaped.
 28. The thermoplastic bag of claim 24, furthercomprising: a majority of the plurality of embossed regions arerectangular.
 29. The thermoplastic bag of claim 24, further comprising:a majority of the plurality of embossed regions are circular.
 30. Thethermoplastic bag of claim 29, further comprising: for each of theplurality of embossed regions, said embossed region is substantiallypositioned along one of a first set of parallel sinusoidal linesextending in a first direction.
 31. The thermoplastic bag of claim 30,further comprising: for each of the plurality of embossed regions, saidembossed region is substantially positioned along one of a second set ofparallel sinusoidal lines extending in a second direction perpendicularto the first direction of the first set of parallel sinsusoidal lines.32. The thermoplastic bag of claim 24, further comprising: the pluralityof embossed regions and the continuous, unembossed arrangement extendsacross substantially the entire area of the first panel and the secondpanel.
 33. An embossed pattern of thermoplastic film comprising: aplurality of embossed regions embossed into the thermoplastic film, theplurality of embossed regions separated by a continuous, unembossedarrangement, each of the plurality of embossed regions comprising a setof linear embosses and each embossed region defined by a boundary withthe continuous, unembossed arrangement, the continuous, unembossedarrangement comprising at least a plurality of first segments, aplurality of second segments, and a plurality of third segments, theplurality of first segments extending in a first direction, theplurality of second segments extending in a second direction, theplurality of third segments extending in a third direction, and thefirst, second, and third directions distinct from each other.
 34. Theembossed pattern of claim 33, further comprising: each linear emboss ofa set of linear embosses parallel to each other.
 35. The embossedpattern of claim 33, further comprising: a majority of the plurality ofembossed regions are hexagon-shaped.
 36. The embossed pattern of claim35, further comprising: the first direction generally horizontal. 37.The embossed pattern of claim 36, further comprising: the seconddirection oblique to the first direction and the third direction. 38.The embossed pattern of claim 37, further comprising: the firstdirection oblique to the second direction and the third direction.